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Best ever England performances

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liquidfootball2
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Best ever England performances

Post by liquidfootball2 »

What's the best England performance you've ever seen, from any year or class of game? 

A few stand out for England for me

Possibly the most frequently mentioned is the

Germany 1 England 5 in 2001

A night where everything England tried seem to come off. That big Munich scoreboard shining the scoreline and the shock of seeing Germany demoralised by English talent. It was a highpoint of Sven's reign and the team went onto reach the quarters in the World Cup and even led Brazil for a long time in that match.

Spain 2 England 3 last night

This was in many ways better than the Germany result as they just folded and Spain fought back and were desperate to turn it around, they looked devastated by the result. This game seemed and felt like far more than a nations league match.

Easily the best international involving England in recent times by such a long way, they played like one of our top premier league teams in a tough champions league away tie.

Ruthless and clinical in the first half with some excellent movement and determined to not let it go in the second.

Four at the back means more players in midfield and more support in attack, he's moving on and developing a core of young talent

This was a landmark performance for England. The kind of performance that vindicated Gareth Southgate’s bold approach, that showed tactically he can go toe-to-toe with the best coaches in world football and that England are doing all the right things in personnel and approach. And have the players.

England 4 Croatia 2 Euros finals 2004

Wayne Rooney came of age and reached heights he possibly never ever reached again on the international stage. This was an England team well capable of winning this tournament and on the night Croatia, themselves very useful, found England in blistering form.

Croatia took the lead and they fought to the end but this was an occasion when the overwhelming quality in England’s side was just too much for them. This was to be Scholes’ penultimate game for England and he pulled the strings in midfield. Rooney’s finishing was of the highest order and Lampard was emerging as an excellent international. It should have been the start of something but this team never recaptured that form again.

Croatia 1 England 4 World Cup qualifiers 2010

Walcott and Rooney ripping Croatia apart, they just had no answer

And then finally

England 4 Holland 1 from the Euros 96.

Shearer, Sheringham and Gascoigne completely outclassed their supposed betters. Beautiful goals, wonderful passing, glorious intensity: it was a performance that promised so much.

For me last night was as good as any

Having read a few posts on this and other forums, there does seem to be a very strong anti-England brigade, who seem to share a begrudging, almost mean spirited attitude where England are concerned, giving only faint praise where absolutely unavoidable and, almost as if through clenched teeth, qualifying it with as many negatives as they can.

A sort of 'belittle any victories and make hay when they lose' attitude.

Even about last night..

I keep seeing it was a 'friendly' from the anti-England brigade. That may suit the whole 'big wow' narrative but it's just absolute bollocks isn't it?

Whether anybody respects the Nation's League or not, it's a competitive game and I have to say I've been enjoying the NL.

It was an outstanding result by England and it does, in my view, confirm that England belong at their ranking and maybe, just maybe they deserved to make the WC semi and it wasn't just some big fluke.

I don't share this negative mindset at all, as to me it's not at all generous and it's definitely not a particularly good look either.


Tbf FISO isn't really one where there is such a large anti-England feeling, and most seem to be fair minded enough. For anyone not English its fair enough anyway to support the other team.

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by Striker »

Last night was extremely encouraging although I wouldn't go as far as you have gone. The great thing is that the tedious safety first approach (which wasn't actually safe) seems to have been superseded by a willingness to attack. Kane although he never looked like scoring himself had a great game and the wide attackers in addition to scoring, worked their socks off.

As regards the past I far prefer the 96 Holland victory, (which I watched on TV with a group of Dutch friends :wink: ) to the Munich win which was in part due to a poor German performance. Going back some time I most enjoyed the first hour or so of our 3-2 defeat to the Germans in Mexico. I attended all England's games in 66 and that first hour was better than anything at Wembley four years earlier. Unfortunately Banks was injured and that clown Bonetti** conceded two unnecessary goals in the last half hour and another in extra time. I've never since gone from such joy to such misery over a football match.

I think that if at the final whistle I'd had access to a button which could have exterminated PB, I'd have pressed it. :oops:

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by murf »

5-1 in Germany (a proper competitive game with first team players not a friendly of reserves like last night). Was fantastic - and mostly Liverpool inspired!

Plus pretty much any finals knock out win. Games that REALLY counted.

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Re: Best ever England performances

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murf wrote:5-1 in Germany (a proper competitive game with first team players not a friendly of reserves like last night). Was fantastic - and mostly Liverpool inspired!

Plus pretty much any finals knock out win. Games that REALLY counted.
Yes the Germany game was some result.

The Nations league does differ from a normal friendly in a few ways.

(i too was previously under the impression it was virtually the same, and hence a 'glorified' friendly, but know better now).

1. There are only three subs allowed as with tournament games.

2. The sides fielded can't be obviously understrength but as near to the strongest available within reason.

Hence Carvalho and Isco were not available for Spain and Stones, Henderson and Ali for England.

The strongest available sides within reason must be selected and it's not a different game after seven replacements for each team.

The old friendlies had become a lottery and a joke, these restrictions are making these games far more useful.

There is a competitive element as with only groups of three, the bottom side is relegated and this in turn can affect seedings for the Euro qualifiers.

For example if Croatia are relegated they may go in pot B in the draw and have a far more difficult group.

There is also a backdoor way to enter the Euros through advancing but that isn't too relevant for the better nations who should sleepwalk qualification.

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by blahblah »

The first defeat to Belgium in the summer 8-) I'm not being totally flippant as going in to the other half could have stopped GS's youth revolution: which is the only way we are going to get anywhere, imho.

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by liquidfootball2 »

blahblah wrote:The first defeat to Belgium in the summer 8-) I'm not being totally flippant as going in to the other half could have stopped GS's youth revolution: which is the only way we are going to get anywhere, imho.
Yes, that was absolutely crucial for England's chances and keeping Southgate on the path to progress.

As said by a few on here at the time, (pre-match too), anything but a defeat would be a disaster, (tbf I think a scoring draw might have done, can't remember exactly), while for some reason that had me absolutely flummoxed, others thought winning and keeping the momentum going, even if it meant entering by far the tougher half of the draw, the better option.

After the defeat Gary Neville was going on about how this result (the defeat) had given England their best chance of progression to the semis since Italy 90, over quarter of a century ago!!!

A crucial result even if not perhaps the best ever England performance.

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by blahblah »

I was so on the 2nd in the Group side that I couldn't believe the goals going in during the second match :lol:

Without reliving the whole thing:
Croatia needed at least E-T to get to play England?
By far, most of the best sides were in the one half, and maybe the best 8?

That sort of stuff has to be realised, remembered etc, and at least 4 years allowed for them to evolve without the (deluded, imho) expectations from the summer getting further out of hand.....

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by liquidfootball2 »

blahblah wrote: 16 Oct 2018, 20:56 I was so on the 2nd in the Group side that I couldn't believe the goals going in during the second match :lol:

Without reliving the whole thing:
Croatia needed at least E-T to get to play England?
By far, most of the best sides were in the one half, and maybe the best 8?

That sort of stuff has to be realised, remembered etc, and at least 4 years allowed for them to evolve without the (deluded, imho) expectations from the summer getting further out of hand.....
I'm sorry blah but this post has me beat, i can't understand it and I mean comprehend what you mean in English - my fault probably but I just can't

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by Zimmerman »

England v Holland is the best I can remember
5-1 v Germany for obvious reasons the next best.

Then can’t really remember a lot of other standout games... I remember more from a significance or result perspective than performance (Belgium with Platt’s late winner, Lineker in Mexico, even the win over Germany in 2000... first competitive win since 66 + I was at the game).

Cameroon at Italia 90 is a standout game (for some reason) but can’t recall how well we actually played. Probably stood out in my memory because of the drama.

Arguably the same could be applied to two famous Germany defeats (90 and 96). Great games, great performances (I think).... not so great results.

The Scotland victory at Euro 96 also stands out, but largely because of Gazzas goal. Obviously the opposition diminishes how great a performance it was.

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by liquidfootball2 »

blahblah wrote: 16 Oct 2018, 20:56 I was so on the 2nd in the Group side that I couldn't believe the goals going in during the second match :lol:

Without reliving the whole thing:
Croatia needed at least E-T to get to play England?
By far, most of the best sides were in the one half, and maybe the best 8?

That sort of stuff has to be realised, remembered etc, and at least 4 years allowed for them to evolve without the (deluded, imho) expectations from the summer getting further out of hand.....
I think I now have a better idea, you wanted us to come second in the group very badly, and therefore wanted results to fall that way.

Took a while but I think I get it now :D

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by blahblah »

I was part of the finish 2nd in the Group.

As Southgate said "we are not the 4th best in the world". The kids need time, probably Euros after the next WC will be the start of seriously challenging. The next WC will be too influenced by the hear and humidity, to be predictable?

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Re: Best ever England performances

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blahblah wrote: 16 Oct 2018, 21:18 I was part of the finish 2nd in the Group.

As Southgate said "we are not the 4th best in the world". The kids need time, probably Euros after the next WC will be the start of seriously challenging. The next WC will be too influenced by the hear and humidity, to be predictable?
Thanks for that blah, I was a bit slow catching what you meant. Agree with you though, its early days and the road to improvement will possibly be gradual. His approach is exactly spot on for me.

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by blahblah »

Yep and took a bit of flak from the win for momentum brigade.

Belgium were arguably lucky to win their first KO match, so it was debatable we would have got to Brazil.

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by forestfan »

blahblah wrote: 16 Oct 2018, 21:22 Yep and took a bit of flak from the win for momentum brigade.

Belgium were arguably lucky to win their first KO match, so it was debatable we would have got to Brazil.
Arguably lucky to beat Japan... arguably the best team in the tournament other than that though.

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by blahblah »

I was trying to not go for the direct line of "as if we would have beaten Japan" :wink:

I can't remember who Brazil beat in the 1st ko round, but it is arguable that the the other 7 were better than the 8 in England's half.

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by liquidfootball2 »

Zimmerman wrote: 16 Oct 2018, 21:12 England v Holland is the best I can remember
5-1 v Germany for obvious reasons the next best.

Then can’t really remember a lot of other standout games... I remember more from a significance or result perspective than performance (Belgium with Platt’s late winner, Lineker in Mexico, even the win over Germany in 2000... first competitive win since 66 + I was at the game).

Cameroon at Italia 90 is a standout game (for some reason) but can’t recall how well we actually played. Probably stood out in my memory because of the drama.

Arguably the same could be applied to two famous Germany defeats (90 and 96). Great games, great performances (I think).... not so great results.

The Scotland victory at Euro 96 also stands out, but largely because of Gazzas goal. Obviously the opposition diminishes how great a performance it was.
Remember that Gazza goal, i was playing cricket in the Lancashire league and luckily we batted first which, for me opening, meant making quickish runs and getting out just in time to watch it on a TV in the club bar, with virtually all our team minus the two unlucky fools out there batting, doing likewise.

:D

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by bluenosey »

I was going to mention the SF in Italia 90. England were excellent and it was Chris Waddle's stand out game. Pity the way it ended :(

Also we were magnificent against Argentina in France 98. If it wasn't for the ref, Sol Campbell's magnificent header would have stood and we would have beaten the Argies with 10 men.

One other friendly result to note was under Hodgson, beating Germany 3-2 after being 2-0 down, I think. Sadly we were utter shite in the Euros following.

Re the Spain game it was a shame it wasn't on terrestrial TV. I caught the highlights yesterday. Sterling's goal was Owen-esque (that game above) and Dier's challenge on Ramos was not very PC, but, eff it, Karma wears football boots sometimes :D

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Re: Best ever England performances

Post by mikeg13 »

For me stand out game for me was 1961 against Mexico we won 8-0, Charlton got hattrick it was few days after my birthday and should have been at school, and one of my fav players at the time scored on his first game for England in first minute Gerry Hitchens went from Villa to Inter later that year for think over £80,000, that was a huge amount in them days,

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